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Friday, November 4, 2011

Australia : Westmead - Health alert

Via Parramatta Sun :

" THE Western Sydney Local Health District has urged residents to be alert for the early symptoms of meningococcal disease after two cases were reported in western Sydney recently.

An infant was reportedly in a satisfactory condition at The Children's Hospital at Westmead while an adult required intensive care at an unnamed hospital.

Meningococcal disease is an infection that causes meningitis — inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord — and severe blood infection.

The first symptoms of meningococcal disease may include pain in the legs, cold hands and feet and abnormal skin colour. Babies with the infection can be irritable, not feed properly and have an abnormal cry.

The health district has also warned parents of a rise in whooping cough in western Sydney this year, particularly in September.

Communicable diseases expert Vicky Sheppeard said there had been 1904 cases of whooping cough reported in the western Sydney and the Nepean-Blue Mountains regions up to September 30 in 2011, compared with 742 for the same period last year."

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